Interpretive Reading: For internal use only

Unit 1
Scanning
What is scanning?
Scanning is very high-speed reading. When you scan, you have a question in mind. You do not
read every word, only the words that answer your question. Practice in scanning will help you
learn to skip over unimportant words so that you can read faster.
In this unit, you’ll practice scanning many different kinds of materials. You should work as
quickly as possible on all the exercises. Remember that scanning is a high-speed skill.

 Look at the list of art exhibits below.

Will you be able to see the exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci‟ s drawing in March?

Did you read the whole list of exhibitions to find out> No! You knew what to look for. You
scanned the list to find the information that you needed.

Scanning in everyday life

Scanning is a skill that you often use in daily life. For example, you might scan the list of names
in a telephone directory in order to find a phone number.

What else might you scan?

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Interpretive Reading: For internal use only

Exercise 1

In this exercise, you will scan the Table of Atomic Weights. Read each question. The scan the
table on the right to locate the information. Work quickly!

1. What are the four kinds of information given in this table?

2. What is the symbol for Iron?
3. What is the atomic number for Tin?
4. Which has a higher atomic weight, Zinc or Lead?
5. What is the atomic weight for Hydrogen?
6. Which has a higher atomic number, Phosphorus or Chlorine?
7. What is the symbol for Silicon?
8. Which has a higher atomic weight, Gold or Platinum?
9. Which element has the highest atomic weight?
10. Find an element which was probably named for a scientist.

 Write three more questions about this table. Working with your partner, ask questions of
each other. Work as fast as you can.
1.

2.

3.

2
3
Scanning newspaper listings

Exercise 2
 In this exercise, you will scan the TV Listings. Read each question. Then scan the listings
to locate the necessary information. Work quickly!
1. Which channel shows a movie starring Clint Eastwood?
2. What hours are indicated in the listing?
3. What movie listed is given four stars?
4. What time can we watch a baseball game?
5. How many news programs are shown at 11: 00 p.m.?
6. What is the title of the movie to be shown on TNT at 8:00?
7. What is the title of the oldest movie to be shown?
8. How many channels have numbers? Names?
9. Which channels show more movies, the numbered or the names?
10. Which channel has Spanish language program?
Check your answers with another student.

 Write three more questions about this TV listing. Ask your partner to scan for the
answers. Work as fast as you can.

1.

2.

3.

4
5
Exercise 3
 In this exercises, you’ll scan a “Best-Sellers” list from a newspaper. Read each question
and then scan the lists to locate the answer. Work quickly!
1. Which authors have two fiction books on this list?
2. What is the title of the book about World War II?
3. Who wrote a book with a plot set in Chicago?
4. How long has Jurassic Park been on the list?
5. What is the title of the book by Sydney Sheldon?
6. Who wrote the book about the Princess of Wales?
7. What is the price of A Year in Provence?
8. What is The Prize about?
9. Who wrote a book about living a successful life?
10. What company published the book about Malcolm X?

 Write three more questions about the paperback best-sellers list. Ask your partner to scan
for the answers. Work as fast as you can.

1.

2.

3.

Is there a book listed which interests you? Which one?

Why does this book interest you?

6
 January 31, 1994
Paperback Best Sellers
Fiction Weeks on List
ALL AROUND THE TOWN, by Mary
1 Higgins Clark (Pocket, $6.50.) A college
student is accused of murdering her
professor.
RISING SUN, by Michael Crichton.
2 (Ballantine, $5.99.) An investigation
following the death of a woman stirs up
Japanese-American rivalry.
3 THE ROAD TO OMAHA, by Robert Ludium.
(Bantam, $6.99.) A lawyer and a retired
general want to help an Indian tribe take
over the state of Nebraska.
4 THE FIRM, by John Grisham. (Island/Dell,
$5.99.) The secret, and possible illicit
dealings of a law firm create a dilemma for
a young lawyer.
MCNALLY’S SECRET, by Lawrence
5 Sanders. (Berkley, $5.99.) In his search for
some valuable stolen stamps, a detective
brings scandal to light.
JURASSIC PARK, by Michael Crichton.
6 (Ballantine, $5.99.) A biotechnician uses
genetic cloning to make dinosaurs live
again in a theme park.
A TIME TO KILL, by Johnson Grisham.
7 (Island/Dell, $5.99.) A trial sets off racial
tensions.
BLINDSIGHT, by Robin Cook. (Berkley,
8 $5.99.) The strange deaths of some New
York yuppies are investigated by a woman
physician.
9 BEYOND EDEN, by Catherine Coulter.
(Onyx, $5.99.) A private detective helps a
young woman to escape threats from her
past.
THE LINE OF FIRE, by W.E.B. Griffin.
10 (Jove, $5.99) The latest volume from the
World War II series “The Corps” is the
story of attempts to rescue two marines on
a South Pacific Island.
A THOUSAND ACRES, by Jane Smiley.
11
(Fawcett, $12.) The life and fortunes of a
family on a farm.
THE DOOMSDAY CONSPIRACY, by
12 Sydney Sheldon. (Warmer, $5.99.) A
mysterious balloon incident is investigated
by an American.
COMPELLING EVIDENCE, by Steve
13 Martini. (Jove, $5.99.) When charged with
the murder of her husband, a woman is
defended by her ex-lover.
GUARDIAN ANGEL, by Sara Paretsky.
14 (Dell, $5.99) Detective V.I. Warshawski
investigates a strange scandal case in
Chicago.
A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT, by Norman
15 Maclean. (Pocket, M $4.99) Three stories
that take place in the great outdoors of
Montans.
Nonfiction Weeks on List
2 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOM X, 14
1 with the assistance of Alex Haley.
(Ballentine, $5.99) A new edition of the
life story of the black leader.
6 EARTH IN THE BALANCE, by Al Gore. 5
2 (Plume, $13) An assessment by the Vice
President of the environmental situation
on earth and what needs to be done.
2 3 THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED, by Scott 482
Pack, (Touchstone/S&S, $10.95) A
Psychiatrist writes to give spiritual and
psychological inspiration.
53 4 YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND, by 89
Deborah Tannen. (Ballantine, $10.)
Problems of communication between the
sexes and how to resolve them.
5 REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN, by Gloria 3
5 Steinem. (Little Brown, $11.95) A leading
feminist reflects on women‟ s struggle for
self-esteem.
28 DIANA: Her True Story, by Andrew Morton. 10
6 (Pocket, $5.99) The life story of the
Princess of Wales.
BACKLASH, by Susan Faludi. 16
42
7 (Anchor/Doubleday, $12.50) A journalist
writes about the battles of the media and
politicians against women‟ s rights.
1 THE PRIZE, by Daniel Yergin. 1
8 (Touchstone/S&S, $16.) How world
history since the 19th century has been
influenced by the need for oil.
3 9 A YEAR IN PROVENCE, by Peter Mayle 75
(Vintage, $10.) A British writer describes
his experiences in southern France.
MOLLY IVINS CAN’T SAY THAT, CAN 13
2
10 SHE? by Molly Ivins, (Vintage, $11.) An
essayist analyzes recent cultural and
political events.
Advice, How-to and Miscellaneous
19
1 THE T-FACTOR FAT GRAM COUNTER, 119
by Jamie Pope-Cordle and Martin katahn.
(Norton, $2.50) How to cut down on the
11
fat content of one‟ s diet.
LIFE’S LITTLE INSTRUCTION BOOK, by 77
2 H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (Rutledge Hill,
$5.95.) Tips for how to fulfill yourself in
5
life.
3 THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY 102
EFFECTIVE PEOPLE, by Stephen R.
Covey. (Fireside/S&S, $9.95) How to
1
achieve success: The principles and the
practice.
4 THE WORLD ALMANAC AND BOOK OF 8
FACTS 1993. (World Almanac/Pharos,
14
$7.95) The latest edition of a classic.
RAND MCNALLY ROAD ATLAS. (Rand 1
5 McNally, $7.95) The 1993 edition of road
maps for the United States, Canada and
Mexico.
7
Scanning magazine articles

Exercise 4
 You will be visiting Boston with some friends in the autumn. They would like to spend a
day in the country. You see this article about picking apples and decide you want to know
more about it. Scan the article for the answers to the questions below.
1. Where does this article recommend picking apples?
2. Who picks the apples?
3. What kind of apples are the very first to ripen?
4. Do you need to bring bags for the apples?
5. How much time does it take to pick apples?
6. What else can you do at an orchard besides pick apples?
7. How many apples should you pick?
8. What should you do with the apples when you get home?
9. What can you do if you pick too many apples?
10. How can you find out where to go apple-picking in Massachusetts?

Picking Apples – A New England Tradition

By Gennadi Preston

Throughout New England, people know you can go for pony rides or ride on a hay-filled
that fall has arrived when the McIntosh apples wagon. You may be able to watch a horse-show
begin to turn red in the orchards in early or visit the cows or sheep in the pasture. Or you
September. After the „mac‟ come the Cortlands, may decide to take a hike and have a picnic
the Empires, the McCoons and, finally, the Red along a country lane. Some orchards have set up
and Golden Delicious. All through September refreshment stands in their barns where you can
and October, the aroma of the ripe apples fills the taste local products, such as apple cider and
air on sunny days-an invitation to come picking. homemade baked goods.
A day of apple picking is, in fact, a popular
way to spend a fall day in New England. From
Connecticut to Maine, it is generally possible to
find an orchard within an hour‟ s drive and the
trip is well worth the time. Not only will it
provide you with plenty of the freshest apples to
be found, but it also will give you a chance to
take in some sunshine and autumn scenery and
get some exercise. And the picking is usually best
done by adults. Children should not climb up
into trees and risk hurting themselves and
damaging the trees-younger members of the
family can have fin just romping around the
orchard.
The picking may not take long-two hours at
most-but many of the orchard owners now offer
other kinds of entertainment. At some orchards,

8
 6. Store your apples properly. Put your apples in
A few hints:
1. Call before you go. Check the local newspaper
for the names and locations of orchards
which offer pick-your-own apples. Then
phone to find out their hours, since they may
vary from one orchard to another.
You should also ask about the rules
regarding bags and containers. Most orchards
provide bags, but a few do not and some will
allow only certain types of containers.
2. Check in when you arrive. Before you start
picking, you should check with the orchard
owner about which varieties are ripe in that
period, and which parts of the orchard are
open for picking. Respect the owner‟ s privacy
and do not go where you are not allowed!
3. Pick carefully. When you pick the apples, treat
them gently. Some orchard owners advise
pickers to treat the apples as though they were
eggs. If they bruise, they will spoil more
quickly. The technique for picking is simple:
hold the apple firmly but not too tightly and
twist it off the branch, taking care to leave the
stern attached, since removal of the stern will
also cause not.
4. Don’t waste apples. Be careful to pick only the
apples you need. You may be attempted pick
too many of the delicious looking fruit, and
then find that the apples go bad before you
can eat them. Since the apple season lasts for
almost two months, you can always return for
another load of apples later.
5. Keep what you pick! Once you take an apple
off the tree, you must keep it. It‟ s not fair to
the orchard owner to leave apples on the
ground where they will quickly spoil.
9
the refrigerator as soon as you get home.
Studies by the Vermont Department of
Agriculture have shown that apples last seven
times longer than when kept under
refrigeration.
If you do pick too many apples to eat in a
week or two, you could try freezing them to
use later in pies and cakes. Simple peel, core
and slice them, and then put them in airtight
plastic bags. They may be kept in the freezer
for up to a year.
Write to the Department of Agriculture in
the state that interests you and ask them to
send a list of orchards that offer pick-your-
own.
For further information
Write to one of these departments of
Agriculture to obtain a list of orchards in each
New England state.
 Connecticut Dept. of Agriculture, State
Office Building, Hartford, CT 06106
 Maine Dept. of Agriculture, State House
Station 28, Augusta, ME 04333
 Massachusetts Dept. of Agriculture, 100
Cambridge Street, 21st floor, Boston, MA
02202
 New Hampshire Dept. of Agriculture,
Division of Agricultural Development, 10
Ferry Street, Concord, NH 03302
 Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental
Management, Division of Agriculture, 22
Hayes Street, Providence, RI 02908
 Vermont Dept. of Agriculture, 120 State
Street, Montpelier, VT 05620
Scanning newspaper articles
Exercise 5

 You are doing a report on ethnic diversity, and you find this newspaper article. Scan the
article for the answers to the questions below. Work quickly!
1. In what year were the population statistics calculated?
2. Who was the governor of Hawaii at the time of this article?
3. How did D.H. Hwang describe Hawaii at the time of this article?
4. What is the name of the professor who studies Hawaiian society?
5. Which group in Hawaii is the largest?
6. What is the combined total of mixed and pure Hawaiians?
7. How many Chinese residents are listed?
8. What is the percentage of Samoans?
9. How many Caucasians live in Hawaii?
10. Does any ethnic group have a majority?

 Check your answers with another student. Write three more questions about the
population of Hawaii. Ask your partner to scan for the answers. Work as fast as you can.
1.

2.

3.

Would this information be useful for a report on ethnic diversity? Why or why not?

10
 Hawaii’s ethnic rainbow:
shining colors, side by side

by Susan Yim Hawaii’s population

Advertiser Managing Editor/Features & Design Here are the latest population statistics by ethnic group
for Hawaii. Total population in 1988 was 942,564

A
merica is going through an identity crisis. excluding military and dependents.
Nationally, early in the 21st century, the white Population Percent
population is expected to go from majority to less Japanese 222,697 23.9%
than 50 percent. Ethnic groups-especially Hispanic Mixed (Part Hawaiian) 202,134 21.4%
and Asian-are increasing due to immigration, and already Caucasian 191,553 20.3%
there‟ s more interracial marriage, especially in such trend- Filipino 118,694 12.6%
setting states as California and New York. Mixed (Non-Hawaiian) 112,411 11.9%
Sociologists and others ponder: How will all these people Chinese 47,787 5.1%
with different roots get along? Other unmixed 12,579 1.3%
Time magazine celebrated the Fourth of July last year Korean 10,720 1.1%
with a cover story about the nation‟ s ethnic diversity and Pure Hawaiian 9,344 1%
asked the questions “Who Are We?” and “What Do We Samoan 5,106 .5%
Have in Common?” Puerto Rican 3,336 .3%
To someone in Hawaii, all this concern about ethnic Black 3,203 .3%
diversity seems like so much fuss. For most of this century,
Source: State Department of Health, Hawaii Health
Hawaii has been a multicultural society, a community of
Surveillance Program for 1988. Because of rounding,
different ethnic groups where no one group is the majority.
percentages may not total 100.
Back in 1961, sociologist Lawrence Fuchs came to
Hawaii and wrote “Hawaii Pono,” a very good book about
“In a way, we‟ ve tried to call that culture which allows
the islands‟ march toward statehood. In it, he concluded: everybody to kind of change, go in and out of, enjoy various
“This is the promise of Hawaii, a promise for entire things...in its best sense, local culture,” he says. “What glues
nation, and indeed, the world, that people of different races it all together is the native Hawaiian culture.”
and creeds can live together, enriching each other, in UH professor and political analyst Dan Boylan is an ven
harmony and democracy.” bigger cheerleader for Hawaii‟ s multicultural societies in
But not many people beyond Hawaii‟ s shores have paid Southeast Asia and the Pacific where ethnic groups don‟ t get
along.
much attention to what‟ s going on socially here.
“We are the nation‟ s experiment in multiculturalism. I
So when New York-based playwright David Henry don‟ t think anybody‟ s paid attention to that at all,” Boylan
Hwang spoke at the University of Hawaii last summer about says.
Hawaii being a model multicultural community for the rest We get along because no one group has enough people
of the country, it raised the obvious question: to be in the majority and to dominate, Boylan adds, and that
What could others learn? extends into politics.
“Our political model is no one constitutes that 50.1
percent that‟ s necessary to oppress anyone else,” he explains.
“Whoever has wanted to govern in this state has had to form
a coalition across ethnic lines. (Unlike the Mainlad,)
politicians have to appeal to different ethnic groups to win
elections.

11
Scanning encyclopedia entries
Exercise 6

 You are writing a report about Marie Curie for you history class. You look for the
encyclopedia for some basic information. Scan the encyclopedia entry below to find the
answers to the questions below. Work quickly!
1. When was Marie born?
2. What is her middle name?
3. Where was she born?
4. Where was she educated?
5. What was her husband‟ s name?
6. What was her specialty in scientific work?
7. How many years did the Curies work on their radium study?
8. When did they receive the Nobel Prize?
9. Which American president helped her with her work?
10. What is the name of her most famous book?

 Check your answers with another student. Write three more questions about Marie Curie.
Ask your partner to scan dor the answers. Work as fast as you can.
1.

2.

3.

12
Curie, the name of a distinguished French family
whose most prominent members have been
scientists.
Marie Sklodowska Curie (1867-1934) was born
in Warsaw, Poland, Nov. 7, 1867. She received her
early education and scientific training from her
father and for several years taught in a Warsaw
high school. In 1891 she moved to Paris, where she
studied physics at the Sorbonne, receiving her
degree in 18 93. Two years later she married the
French chemist Pierre Curie. After A.H.
Becquerel‟ s investigation of the radioactive
properties of uranium, she commenced her
researches in radioactivity, and in 1898 the
discovery of polonium and radium in pitchblende
was announced, her husband has joined in the
research. It took them four more years of work to
isolate radium in its pure form; during this time
they made numerous discoveries regarding the
properties of the new element. While they were
conducting their researches, the Curies suffered
from financial hardship, and Marie Curie was
obliged to teach physics in a school for girls. In
1903 the Curies were awarded, with Henri
Becquerel, the Nobel Prize for physics. The process
for obtaining radium they freely gave to the world
without any thought to their own gain.
Marie Cuire became chief of the laboratory in
her husband‟ s department at the Sorbonne in 1903
and upon his death in 1907 succeeded him there as
a professor of physics. She was awarded a second
13
Nobel Prize, for chemistry, in 1911 for her work on
radium and its compounds, and in 1914 she was
placed in charge of the radioactivity laboratory of
the new institute of Radium in Paris. Here she was
later joined in her work by her daughter Irene, who
married Mme. Curie‟ s assistant Joliot. During
World War I she organized radiological service for
hospitals. In 1921 she visited the United States, and
in 1929 President Herbert Hoover presented her
with a check for $50,000 which had been raised by
subscription and which was intended for the
purchase of a gram of radium for a laboratory in
Warsaw that she had helped to establish. In
addition to the classic Traite de radioactive (1910),
she published numerous papers on radium. Mme.
Curie died at Saint Cellemoz, Haute-Savoie, July 4,
1934.
CALEB W. DAVIS
Pierre Curie (1859-1906), French physicist, was
born in Paris on May 15, 1859, and was educated
at the Sorbonne. He became professor of general
physics at the Ecole de Physique et de Chimie in
1904. Much of his early work was concerned with
the subject of magnetism in crystals. With his
brother Paul Jean Curie he investigated
piezoelectricity in crystals in 1880. His discovery of
a relation for electrical susceptibility is known as
“Curie‟ s law,” while “Curie‟ s point” is that critical
point of temperature at which ferromagnetism
suddenly dissapears. He was run over and killed by
a draw, in Paris, on Apr. 19, 1906.
Unit 2
Previewing and Predicting

14
What is previewing? What is predicting?
There are two skills that are essential for a good reader: Previewing and Predicting. When you
gather information about a book by examining its cover, you are previewing. The aim of
previewing is to help you to predict or make some “educated guesses” about what is in the book.
You should develop the habit of applying these skills whenever you read.
Previewing and predicting before you read can make a big differences. You can get some ideas
about what you will read. That way you will begin to process the information far more quickly.
You will also be able to follow the writer‟ s ideas better. Though it takes a few minutes to preview
and predict, those few minutes are well invested.You will find that later you save reading time
and gain comprehension.

 You can tell a lot about a book from its cover! Examine the book cover on the next page.
Then fill in the following information.
1. Title
2. Author
3. Fiction or nonfiction?
4. What do you predict that this book is about?

5. List some of the adjectives which are found in the reviews on the back cover of the book.

6. Find any additional information about the author and write it here.

7. Would you like to read this book? Why?

15
Exercise 1
You are staying at a friend’s house for a few days. You have forgotten to bring something to
read, so your friend offers you three books. Read the information from the book covers given
below and make some predictions about each book. Decide which one you would like to read.
Time limit: 60 seconds.

Book 1
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. This book was first published in England in 1958. It is the
author‟ s first and most famous novel. A classic of modern African writing, it is the story of a
man whose life is dominated by fear nad anger. It is a powerful and moving story that has been
compared with Greek tragedy. The writer‟ s style is uniquely and richly African. Subtly and
ironically, Achebe shows his awareness of the human qualities common to people everywhere.
Things Fall Apart is also a social document. It shows traditional life among the Ibo people in a
Nigerian village. The novel documents life before Christianity, and demonstrates how the coming
of white people led to the end of the old tribal ways.

Book 2
This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart. This novel was on The New York Times best –seller list
for eight months, and the reviewer wrote that the tale is “a magical concoction...warm and sunny
for all its violence.”
Stewart‟ s book tells the story of a beguilling young actress, Lucy Waring, who visits Corfu for
holiday. With no warning, she stumbles into strange violence and is threatened with terror and
death.
Other reviewers call this book “romantic, suspenseful, delightful...rating A” and “a
16
 Book 3
Black Cherry Blues by James Lee Burke. Winner of the Edgard Award for the best novel, this
1989 detective story is “full of low-lifes and rich crooks. Burke shows that „serious‟ literary
craftsmanship is compatible with the hard-boiled genre” of the crime novel.
Burke‟ s story leads his hero from Louisiana to Montana as he strives to escape a phony murder
charge, protect his little girl, and find a professional killer. Reviewers call this novel “a fine book,
tough and vital.”

Which book would you choose?

Why?

Tell another student about your choice. Di you choose the same books?

Exercise 2
Often an author includes photographs or illustration with a text. Since they are usually closely
connected to the author’s ideas, it is important to preview these, too. Make predictions about
what might be in the article based on the photograph below.

Predictions:

17
Compare your predictions with another student. Then read the article on the next page. Did
you make accurate predictions

Western University Graduates
Encouraged to Support Education
PRESTON, CALIF. –MAY 20 – After a rock
band version of “Pomp and Circumstance,” the
California State Treasurer, Katherine Greene,
spoke to graduating law students about their future
role in supporting education. “This state has been
generous to you. Remember that, and be generous
in return,” she said.
“ This is a time when we are talking about
budget imperatives and education is being sacrified
for short-term budget goals. You should be the first
to refuse this kind of sacrifice. The future of
California – and the nation – lies in education: in
the universities, the high schools and even in the
remote small town elementary schools. The present
budget cuts to education are scandalous. You are
the ones who must fight this shortsightedness.
Make a personal commitment to education,
whether it‟ s with your money, your time, your
energy, or your vote.”
Ms. Greene, a graduate of Columbia University
Law School in 1984, spoke with fervor to the 250
members of graduating class of Sherman School of
Law. She told these future lawyers that they must
“go to battle” and “take a stand” for their beliefs.
“You must not think that career advancement
precludes any efforts to improve the world you live
in, “she said.
The ceremony at Sherman Hall was just one of
more than 30 ceremonies to mark Western
University‟ s 75th commencement. A total of 5,560
degrees, including 3,700 bachelors degrees, were
conferred on Saturday.
The theme for remembering one‟ s origins was
echoed in another part of the campus at a special
graduation ceremony for 204 Hispanic students fro
all departments. The ceremony was half in Spanish
half in English, and the celebratory nature of the
occasion was marked by a performance of dancers
in Aztec costumes. The stage was decorated with a
red and white banner reading”Viva Caesar
Chavez.”
The life and work of Mr. Chavez, the late union
organizer, was recalled by Maria Aruyo, master of
ceremonies and professor of comparative literature
in the ethnic studies department. “He would have
been proud of one of our students here today, who
picked lettuce for 15 years and is now receiving his
degree in civil engineering,” she said. “This is the
kind of person we should all be proud of, the kind
of person we need for our future.”
At this same ceremony, Carla Cruz, a
graduating psychology major, spoke on behalf of
the students, saying that in her years at Western
University, she had experienced a significant
change in the political atmosphere and in the
attitudes of her fellow students and herself. While
she initially referred to herself as a Hispanic
student, that term had changed to Mexicana and
then to Latina as her sense of identity changed and
expanded.
But she added, “many of us have been forced by
the realities of higher tuition fees and shrinking
scholarships to abandon our dream oef education.”
Among the other speakers at Western‟ s
graduation ceremonies were Sam Strickart of the
rock group Stricken, who spoke to graduates of the
College of Letters and Science, the author Jane
Stevenson who spoke to mass communication
graduates, and the San Francisco enviromentalist,
John Broome, who spoke to biology graduates.

Guidelines for Previewing and Predicting about Longer Passages

1. Read the title-What is the passage about? Do you know anything about this subject?
2. Decide what kind of text it is – is it an essay, an argument, a story, an explanation?
Does it seem difficult?
3. Look at the way the text is organized - it is divided into parts? Are there sub-titles? If
so, what do they tell you about the way the subject is presented?
4. Read very quickly the first line of each paragraph or sub-division – can you tell what
the passage is about? Do you already know something about it?
5. Notice names, numbers, dates, and words that are repeated – do you recognize any of
them?
6. Read quickly the last few sentences in the final paragraph – what is the author‟ s final
point? Is it a conclusion or a summary?
18
Preview the following story. Read only the underlined parts. Time limit: 30 seconds.
Carmelita’s Amazing Rescue

At the Santos family‟ s apartment in Sao Santos called to Carmelita to go back inside. But
Paulo, the doorbell is constantly ringing. All the the little girl did not understand the danger and not
friends and neighbors are there to hear what want to go back. She only waved to her mother.
happened to two-year-old Carmelita. Her mother The she lost her balanced and her feet slipped
has tears in her eyes, but they are tears of relief, of off the window sill. She managed to hold on for a
thankfulness. Her Carmelita is smiling shyly, safe while with her hands, but she began to be afraid.
in her father‟ s lap. Her mother screamed for help, and now Carmelita
The story could easily have had ended very was crying desperately. And then she could hold on
differently, not so happily. no longer.
It all started this morning But several people
just before noon. Mrs. had run out into the
Santos was returning from street on hearing all the
the supermarket with her screaming. The saw the
daughter and a friend, child hanging onto the
their neighbor. They window sill and got
stopped on the stairway of ready to catch her.
their building at their fifth Down she fell, five
floor apartment. The long stories-and landed
neighbor opened her door safe and sound in the
first, and little Carmelita arms of three strong
ran past her. She knew the men. They were Luis,
apartment well, since she Augusto, and Alfonso
had visited it many times. Nunes, father and sons.
The friend put down her When they heard the
keys and shopping bags, screams, they were in
and turned back a moment their auto repair shop
to Mrs. Santos. At the moment, there was a sudden across the street.
gusts of wind and the door to the apartment “I never thought we‟ d do it,” said Alfonso
slammed shut. Carmelita was inside, alone. afterwards. But I kept thinking, if we don‟ t catch
The friend remembered then that she had left her, she‟ ll die and it‟ ll be on my conscience all my
her kitchen window open. She and Mrs. Santos life.”
rushed to the Santo‟ s apartment and telephoned the All the neighbors want to shake hands with
police. But there was no time to get help in opening the three heroes. Carmelita‟ s parents cannot believe
the neighboring apartment. They could see that how close they came to losing their daughter. And
Carmelita was already leaning out of the Kitchen how lucky they are to have her still.
Window. She had climed up onto a chair, and soon
she was climbing out onto the window sill. Mrs.

19
 Answer the questions. Remember, do not look back!
1. Where do you think this passage originally appeared?
2. Where does this take place”?
3. Who is Carmelita?
4. What happened to her?
5. Who is Alfonso and what did he do?

Compare your answers with another student. Then go back and read the whole passage.

Exercise 3
Preview and predict about the next page. Remember to use the guideline for previewing and
predicting. Then answer the questions on the next page. Time limit: 30 seconds.

A Free Woman

Twenty five years ago, the worst they
could say was “nice girls don’t smoke” or
“it‟ ll stunt your growth.”
Even years later when the Surgeon
General‟ s report showed the connection
between smoking and lung cancer and other
diseases, the facts were only the about men.
But know we know that women who smoke
are dying of lung cancer and other diseases
at twice the rate of women who don’t.
Women who smoke are sick more often than
women who don‟ t. Women who smoke
heavily have three times as much bronchitis
or emphysema and 50 percent more peptic
ulcers. Smoking even affects pregnancy. So
you don‟ t have to wait until you‟ re old to
feel the effects of smoking. If you‟ re
pregnant and you smoke, it can harm the
health of your baby.
What happens when you smoke a
cigarette?
In just three seconds a cigarette makes
your heart beat faster and shoots your blood
pressure up. It replaces oxygen in your blood
with carbon monoxide and leaves cancer-
causing chemicals to spread through your
body. As the cigarettes add up, the damage
add up. It‟ s the total amount of smoking that
causes the trouble. The younger you start
smoking, the greater your danger will be.
For instance, if you’re fifteen, you will have
smoked many more cigarettes by the time
you’re thirty than someone who started at
twenty.
And people who start young tend to
become heavy smokers. Heavy smokers run
a greater risk. Again, the more cigarettes you
smoke, the faster they add up.
You’re still young. The younger you are,
the easier it is to quit. It takes years to
develop a real cigarette habit. So even if you
think you‟ re hooked, chances are yourself.
Food will taste better. Everything will smell
better (including your hair and your clothes).
And don‟ t let anyone tell your stories about
gaining weight. Haven‟ t you ever seen a fat
smoker? If you have the willpower to quit
smoking, you have the willpower not to
overeat. If is as simple as that. You know
what you‟ ve got to look forward to. You can
grow into a truly free woman, or you can
ruin yourself for life.
The only one who can make the choice
is you.

20
 Do not look back at the passage.
Recalling facts
1. The connection between smoking and cancer was made by
a. The A.M.A. b. government doctors. c. the Surgeon General.

2. Smoking can increase a person‟ s chances of developing

a. liver disease. b. ulcers. c. colds

3. Smoking makes the heart beat faster after a lapse of

a. three seconds. b. ten seconds. c. twenty seconds.

4. According to the article, smoking

a. causes dizziness. b. kills red blood cells. c. raises blood pressure.

5. The author points out that giving up smoking requires

a. courage. b. patience. C. willpower.

Understanding Ideas

6. This article is mostly about

a. Giving up smoking.
b. Attitudes toward smoking.
c. The connection between growing and smoking.

7. The author implies that a person who gives up smoking

a. Gains weight.
b. Enjoys food more.
c. Sleeps more soundly.

8. The reader can infer that

a. Smoking can cause the common cold.
b. The odor of smoke clings to cloth.
c. Cigarettes are more popular than cigars and pipes.

9. Giving up smoking is easiest for someone who is

a. Twenty years old.
b. Forty years old.
c. Sixty years old.

10. The reader can conclude that

a. Cigarette sales have declined in the past few years.
b. Illnesses and smoking are often related.
c. Cancer kills more people than any other disease.

21
Unit 3
Skimming

What is skimming?
Skimming is high-speed reading that can save you lots of time. You skim to get the
general sense of a passage or a book. What would you do if you found yourself in these
situations?
1. You want to find out a little about the recent elections in France. There is a long
newspaper article on the subject, but you don‟ t have time to read it all.
2. You need some information about the theories of Sigmund Freud. You have found
many books about Freud and now you need to know which will be most useful.
3. You went to a movie last night and you thought it was terrible. You notice a review of
that movie in a magazine today. You want to find out quickly if the reviewer agrees
with you.
4. You are reading a detective story and you are in a hurry to find our who the murderer
is.
The answer is the same for all these situations: skim.

How do you skim?

You should read only the words that will help you get the sense of the text. The following
passage shows what parts you should read. These are the parts that usually give the
author‟ s ideas or opinions.
Read the first sentences or paragraph quite carefully. The beginning often contains
general information about the rest of the text.
If the text is long, you might also read the second paragraph. Sometimes the first
paragraph is only an introduction and the second paragraph contains the main
idea……………………………………………………………………………………………….
After that, you should look at the beginning of each paragraph
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………maybe read a few words …………………………….
…………………in the middle …………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………. Usually the topic sentence is at the
beginning. But sometimes it may be at the end ………………………………………………
……………….. skip some paragraphs ………………………………………………………..
not important …………………………………
You should usually read the last paragraph more carefully. The author often
summarizes the main idea at the end. These are the general rules about skimming. And
this is all the text you need to read when you skim!

22
Guidelines for Effective Skimming

 Always work as fast as you can. Don‟ t let details slow you down.
 Always keep in mind your reason for skimming.
 Be flexible when you are skimming. How much you skim in a passage depends on your
purpose and on the passage.

Skimming Book Reviews

One way to find out about a book is to read a review of the book in a newspaper or
magazine. Book reviewers usually tell something about the subject of the book and give
their opinion. However, sometimes they do not state their opinion directly. They give
some hints about it and let the reader infer it.

Exercise 1
 Here is a book review of The Year of the Turtle. Read the questions and then skim the review
for the answers. Work as quickly as you can. (Not more than 30 seconds for the skimming).
Compare your answers with another student.
1. Is this a good book to give as a birthday present to a six-year-old boy?
Why or why not?

2. Would you like to read this book?

Why or why not?

23
Exercise 2
 Here are eight short descriptions of books on the opposite page. Read the questions and then
skim the book descriptions for the answers. Work as quickly as you can. (Not more than one
minute for the skimming).Compare your answers with another student.

1. Which book do you think would be most useful to you and why?

2. Which book is the most interesting to you and why?

3. Which books would you recommend to someone who is interested in the

environment?

4. Which books would you recommend to someone who is interested in health?

5. Which book would you recommend to someone who is interested in how technology
affects our lives?

24
1
Exercise 3
 Skim the review of Typical American, a novel by Gish Jen. Read the questions and then
skim the review for the answers. Work as quickly as you can. (Not more than two
minutes for the skimming) Compare your answers with another student.
1. Is this a good book for an 11-year-old girl?
Why or why not?

2. Does this seem like a good book for vacation reading?

Why or why not?

3. Is this a good book to read if you are interested in romance?

Why or why not?

4. Did the reviewer think this was a good book?

How can you tell?

73
Exercise 4
 Skim the review of Beastly Behaviors: A Watcher’s Guide to How Animals Act and Why below.
Read the questions and then skim the review for the answers. Work as quickly as you can. (Not
more than two minutes for the skimming!) Compare your answers with another student.

1. Is this a good book for a friend with two young children who love animals?
Why or why not?

2. Is this a good book for someone who wants to know about farm animals?
Why or why not?

3. Does the author of this book like zoos?

Why or why not?

4. Does this sound like a book you would like to read?

Why or why not?
Skimming news stories and magazine articles

Exercise 5
 A. Read the questions and then skim the news story for the answers. Work as quickly as you
can. (Not more than two minutes for the skimming!) Compare your answers with another
student.

1. What has happened to the three children from South Carver?

2. What do the people in South Carver think about the situation?

3. What do you think will happen to them?

[Type text]

 B. Now you will skim another news story on the same subject. Read the questions and then skim
the news story for the answers. Work as quickly as you can. (Not more than two minutes for the
skimming!) Compare your answers with another student.

1. How did the story end?

2. How did the children feel in the night?

3. Was it easy to find them?

4. How did their parents feel in the end?

Skimming encyclopedia entries

Exercise 6
 Skim the article about Eleanor Roosevelt from two different encyclopedias. Read the questions
and then skim both articles to find the answers. Work as quickly as you can. (Not more than
three minutes for the skimming!) Compare your answers with another student.

1. Which article tells you more about the personal life of Eleanor Roosevelt?

2. The author of one of these articles has written a book about Eleanor Roosevelt. Which
one do you think it is?

3. Does Eleanor Roosevelt sound like the typical woman of her time?

4. What effect did Franklin Roosevelt‟ s illness have on Eleanor‟ s life?

Unit 4
Making Inferences

What is an Inference?

Sometimes the topic of a text may not be stated anywhere directly. You must look for
clues and try to guess what the passage is about. This is called making and inference.

Example: Try to infer what “it” is in this passage.

I found it in the middle of the sidewalk on my way home from school one spring
morning. It was very tiny and it was hardly breathing when I picked it up. I fed it raw
meat and other treats for several weeks. Soon, it became strong and started to hop
around. One day, someone left a window open. When I came home from work, I
discovered that it had disappeared.

What is “it”?

Underline the ideas in the paragraph which helped you to make this inference.
The ability to make inferences is very important in reading. You often need to infer the
topic or main idea of a text, the author‟ s opinion, or other information.

Inferring missing information

There are many situations in real life when you need to make inferences. Below are some
exercises based on real situations. Try to use the information that is given to guess what is
missing.

Exercise 1
 On the next page is a postcard from a friend. The postcard got wet, so you couldn’t read the
postmark or the first line. Where has your friend gone for her vacation? Who is with her?
Discuss your inferences with another student.

Exercise 2
 Also on the next page is a notice that came in the mail. The notice was torn and some words are
missing all along the edge. Who is the notice from? What is it about? Discuss your inferences
with another student.
Exercise 1

Exercise 2
Making Inferences from conversations
Have you ever overheard part of a conversation and tried to imagine what it was
about? If so, you were making inferences. In the following exercises, you will practice
inferring information from short dialogues.
If you find words you do not know, skip over them. Look for the clues that will
help you answer the inference questions.

 Read the conversation and try to infer the answers to the questions below.
Example:

A: Excuse me. Do you live around here? Is this Elm Street?

B: No, this is Maple Eve.
A: Maple Eve? … Oh, dear. I really don‟ t understand this! I‟ m looking for Elm St. and
I thought this was it.
B: No, no. Elm St. isn‟ t anywhere near here.
A: But wasn‟ t that the high school back there?
B: No, that was the town hall.
A: Oh. Then I really am confused. Can you take a look here and show me where I am?
B: Sure. Let‟ s see… You‟ re over here. See? This is Maple Ave. and here‟ s the high
school. Now, if you want to get to Elm St. you‟ d better take the bus…

1. Who are these people?

A visitor from out of town and someone who lives there
2. What are they talking about?
Where they are – the visitor is lost and wants to know where she is on the map
3. Are they men or women? How can you tell?
It is impossible to tell.

Exercise 3
 Read the conversation and infer the answers to the questions below. Discuss your inference with
another student.

A: Why is he taking so long?

B: He has to get changed, you know. He‟ s got all that make-up to take off.
A: Well, we‟ ve been here forty minutes now. It‟ s cold out here. Are you sure we‟ re at the
right door?
B: Yes, I‟ m sure. Come on. Let‟ s not give up now. I‟ ve just got to see him close up.
A: They say he‟ s really quite ugly.
B: Oh, no, that‟ s not true. I‟ ve seen him on TV a couple of times. He‟ s got the cutest
smile.
A: Well, I don‟ t know. I‟ m just about frozen. If he doesn‟ t come out in another two
minutes, I‟ m going home.
B: Oh, look! Here he comes. Quick, where‟ s your pen?!?
 1. Where are these people?
2. What are they doing?
3. Who are they talking about?
4. Are they men or women? How can you tell?

Making inferences from short stories and plays

The authors of novels, stories or plays often do not explain everything about characters or
situations. The reader must infer the author‟ s meaning from the descriptions or the
dialogues. In the following exercises you will practice making inferences about characters
and situations.
Remember that you do not need to understand every word. If you find words you do
not know, skip over them. Read quickly for the clues that will help you infer the answers
to the questions.
Exercise 4

 Read the following passage from “A Domestic Dilemma,” a story by Carson McCullers. (A
“dilemma” is a problem with no easy solution.) Working with another student or a group of
students, try to infer answers to the questions below. Then underline the words or phrases that
helped you.
 1. What are the relationships among the four characters here?

2. Where are they?

3. What has happened just before this passage?

4. Which character do you think expresses the author‟ s point of view?

5. What do you think will happen after this in the story?

Exercise 5

 Read the passage from “A Streetcar Named Desire,” a play by Tennessee Williams
Working with another student or a group of students, try to infer the answers to the
questions below. Then underline the words or phrases that helped you.

86
 1. What are the relationships among the three characters?

2. Where are they?

3. What happened before this passage?

4. Which character do you think expresses the author‟ s point of view?

5. What do you think will happen after this in the story?

Inferring topics and main ideas

Exercise 6

 In these paragraphs, the topic is never stated directly. Working with another student, infer what
each paragraph is about and write the topic below. Underline any words or phrases that helped
you guess.
Exercise 7

 In each of these paragraphs, someone is talking about their job. Working with another
student, infer what the job is. Then underline the words or phrases that helped you
guess.
Exercise 8

 In these paragraphs, the writer does not state the main idea directly. Working with another
student, try to infer the main idea and write it below. (Remember that the main idea is always
a complete sentence.) Underline the words or phrases that helped you.
Unit 5
Summarizing

What is summarizing?
Summarizing is the retelling of the important parts of a passage in a much shorter form.
Why summarize?
 To make sure you have understood something.
 To explain the sense of a passage to someone else.
 To review texts for examinations.

What does a good summary include?

 A good summary includes the main ideas and the major supporting points.
 A good summary does not include minor details, repeated details, or the reader‟ s
opinions.

Summarizing sentences
Summarize a sentence by talking out the unnecessary words. Use summary words to
take the place of groups of words about the same topic. Keep only the words which tell
the main point of the sentence. Use as few words as possible.
Example:
The tall cowboy put the saddle on his house, untied him from the fence, waved
good-bye and rode off into the sunset.
Summary: The cowboy left
Explanation: You can leave out the word tall, since that is not an important fact. All of
the things that the cowboy did (put saddle on horse, untied him, waved good-bye, and
rode off) can be summarized in one word: left.

Exercise 1
 Summarize these sentences. Work with another student.
1. After she turned on the oven, Michiko mixed the sugar, flour, eggs, milk, oil, and
vanilla in the new blender, poured the batter into the buttered pans, and put the cake
in the oven.
Summary:
2. At the bus rolled into her hometown, Liz looked around at the familiar streets and
stops which she had not seen for two years.
Summary:
3. Serge put on his raincoat, picked up his umbrella from the table near the door, turned
off the lights, put out the cat, and got ready for his ten-minute walk to the bus stop.
Summary:
 4. When the Chen family returned from their vacation, they found the black door broken
open, the television set missing, and all the food in their freezer gone.
Summary:
5. In Natasha‟ s library you can find mysteries, novels, biographies, travel books, how-to
manuals, science fiction thrillers, and reference books.
Summary:
6. With her new credit card, Yoko bought groceries at the supermarket, shoes at the
department store, and a new set of tires for her sports car at the auto supply store.
Summary:
7. During the summer along the Charles River in Boston, you can go rollerblading,
running, biking, or sailing, or you can have a picnic, listen to a concert, or watch a
movie.
Summary:
8. After clearing away the old leaves and branches, Bill dug up the hard ground, mixed in
fertilizer and new soil, raked it all smooth, and planted the seeds.
Summary:
9. When they heard the weather forecast, the islanders closed the window, put tape
across the glass, moved all of their paints and chairs indoors, and stocked up on bottles
of fresh water.
Summary:
10. Sue put her pens and pencils neatly in a row, turned on the radio, stacked her English
books on the desk, got herself a soda, and sat down in her desk chair.
Summary:

Summarizing paragraphs
A paragraph summary should be as short as possible, but it must be a complete
sentence.
The summary of a paragraph is the main idea of the paragraph. Often (but not
always), the main idea is found in the topic sentence.
Step 1. Read the paragraph all the way through to be sure you understand it.
Step 2. Check to see if the paragraph contains a topic sentence.
 If the paragraph has a topic sentence, does it state the main idea of the
paragraph? If so, you can use the topic sentence as the summary.
 If the topic sentence is not a good statement of the main idea, write a summary
which states the main idea.
Step 3. Take out unnecessary words.

Example:
Shopping malls have produced a revolution in United States shopping
and living habits in just 45 years. Before 1950, there were no malls, but now
almost every city or region has at least one. In fact, shopping malls have
become a part of daily life. Many people even think of them as social centers.
In a way, malls have taken the place of Main Street. Shops and services which
were once spread over several city blocks are now in one place at the mall.
 Busy households can save time by doing their shopping at the mall. And
people young and old, with time on their hands, often say, “Let‟ s go to the
mall!”

Topic sentence: Shopping malls have produced a revolution in United States shopping
and living habits.
You can make this even shorter: Shopping malls have changed United States culture.

Exercise 2
 Summarize each of the following paragraphs. Follow the steps explained above. Use as few
words as possible. Work with another student.
Summarizing short passages
Step 1. Read the passage all the way through.
Step 2. Go back to the beginning and underline the topic sentence in each paragraph. If
you cannot find a topic sentence, write a short summary of the paragraph.
Step 3. Put the sentences from the paragraphs together. Connect them with signal words
or other connecting words. (Remember, signal words and connecting words tie ideas
together. Examples: and, but, however, first, next, then, because.)

Exercise 3
 Reread the three paragraphs in Exercise 2. Write a summary of all three paragraphs together.
Follow the steps for summarizing a short passage. Work with another student.
Exercise 4
 Summarize this short passage. Work with another student. When you have finished, compare
your work with another pair of students.

 Write one sentence to summarize each paragraph.

Paragraph 1:

Paragraph 2:

Paragraph 3:

Paragraph 4:
 Now tie the sentences together to make one short paragraph. Write the final summary below.
Use only the words which are absolutely necessary.

Summarizing longer passages

When you summarize an essay, textbook chapter, or magazine article with many
paragraphs, follow these steps:
Step 1: Read the passage all the way through.
Step 2: Go back to the beginning and number the paragraphs in the text.
Step 3: Divide the text into parts. Notice which paragraphs focus on the same idea. Art
one, for example, will be Paragraph #1 to Paragraph #x. Part two will start with
paragraph #y, and so forth.
Step 4. For each part, write a sentence which summarizes all the paragraphs in it.
Step 5. The all of those sentence together to form a summary, using signal words and
other function words.

Exercise 5
 Summarize an article you have already read. Turn to the article titled “Picking Apples – A new
England Tradition”. Follow the steps for summarizing a longer passage explained above. Work
with another student. Use as few words as possible in your final summary.

95
Exercise 6
 Follow the steps for summarizing a longer passage. Summarize this magazine article. Work
with another student. Use as few words as possible.
Unit 6
Thinking Skills
101
102
102
104
103
Unit 7
Speed Reading
 Answer the following questions